Moisture-chamber for blotter-baths.



N0. 628,657. A Patented July Il, |899. H. E. GIFFURD.

MISTURE CHAMBER FOB BLOTTER BATHS.

(Application filed Mar. 14, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY E. GIFFORD, OF ONSET, MASSACHUSETTS.

MOISTURE-CHAMBER FOR BLOTTER-BATHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters' Patent No. @gest/,dated July 1I, 1899. Application flied March 14, 1899.. serial No. 709,069. (No modera To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY E. GIFFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Onset, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusettsdiave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moisture-Chambers for Blotter-Baths; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference .being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention has relation to devices for dampening with water suitable absorbent sheets to be used in furnishing moisture in the copying of letters in letter-books under pressure. It is well known that manuscript writing with pen and ink requires less moisture of the absorbent sheets to take a press-copy than would be required in typewriting. It is therefore the purpose of the present invention to provide a moisture-chamber of the construction hereinafter described having dampening-surfaces upon both its upper and lower sides, so that when absorbent sheets are placed above and upon the upper side of the chamber the sheets will have the proper degree ofmoisture for copyingpenjwhen placed underneath the chamber will have the required moisture for press-copying by the action of gravitation.

It is a further purpose of the invention to provide a reversible moisture-chamber having upon its opposite sides two different degrees of dampening or moistening surfaces, also in providinga simple and effective chamber in its several details of construction, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective view of my improved moisture-chamber, showing it in theuisual box or receptacle with the cover or lidthereof shown as partly raised and the absorbent sheets placed above and below the chamber; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the moisture-chamber on anl enlarged scale; Fig. 3, an edge view thereof; Fig. 4,- a perspective View of one end of the moisture-chamber, showing 4one of the metal fastening or locking strips in position previous to its being bent down in place.

' preferred size and shape.

In the accompanying drawings, A repre sents a box or receptacle, and B the cover or lid thereof, both of which are preferably coustructed of sheet metal and may be of any This box or'receptacle is adapted to receive my improved moisture-chamber, as indicated at C, said chamber containing a filling G in bulk or in sheets jof'asuitable absorbent material, such as felt, flannel, sponge, soft absorbent paper-pulp, or any substance that will properly absorb and hold water. This chamber is preferably constructed of sheet metal, and each side is capable of being brought int-o use for mostening or dampening the sheets to be used in letterthe two sides with ,different degrees of mois- 'tening or dampening surfaces.

IVhere the moisture-chamber is not intended to be reversible, the perforations may be of the same size and number and used as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

In the present instance the absorbent sheets to be used for taking letter-press copies, as indicated at D andE, are placed both above and below the `moisturechamber G, the sheets E below the chamber receiving more moisture than the sheets D above said chamber, the sheets above being used for pen'and the sheets below for type writing copying, thereby providing for the two diereut degrees of moistening or dampening without increasing the size or number of holes.

In using the moisture-chamber the same is placed undera faucet or submerged in water or otherwise brought in contact therewith until all it will hold has been absorbed, after i IOO its side with the greatest degree of moistening or dampening surface is brought uppermost and the absorbent sheets used in press-` copying are laid upon the same and taken off for use as required. When pen-and-ink Writing is to be'letter-press copied, which requires a less degree'of moisture on the copying-sheets, the chamber is reversed and the side having the lesser degree of moistening or dampening surface is brought uppermost and the sheets placed thereon, as in. former case. The same eect may be obtained by placing the sheets used in letter-press copying both above and below the moisture-chamber, giving to the sheets different degrees of moisture for use in copying type-writing' or pen-and-ink writing at the same time. The letter-press sheets below the chamber may be renewing. their' moisture while the sheets above are being used without regard to copying type-writing or pen-and-ink writing.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a moisture-chamber that may be used upon either side separatelyT or both together, as circumstances require, the chamber having surfaces upon both its sides of the same or different degrees of moisture, whereby it is capable of use in the manner hereinbefore described. So far as these features of thein- -vention are concerned it is immaterial in .what manner the moisture-chamber is constructed to hold the absorbent material in bulk or in sheets, as any chamber with a filling of absorbent material and having perforations at top and bottom to provide moistening or dampening surfaces upon both its sides would serve the purpose of my invention without reference to the details of construction.

In constructing the moisture-chamber I prefer in the present instance to take two sheets of perforated sheet metal of the desired size and shape and bend their edges at right angles to form the end flanges c. These flanges form the two opposite edges of the moisturechamber, and the edges of the perforated metal sheets at right angles to the flanges c are bent t0 form grooves d, with which engage the iianges e of locking-strips F. These flanges e extend outward and at right angles l to the body of the locking-strip F, and the eX- tremities of the strips terminate in tongues f, which are bent down against the flanges c, as shown in Figs. 8 and 4 of the drawings.

The above construction provides a chamber that will securely hold the absorbent material, and the locking-strips hold the two sheets forming the top and bottom of the chamber together. The locking-strips may be of any suitable construction and one or more may be used, and the perforated top and bottom of the chamber may be constructed of a single sheet of perforated metal, as found most desirable, and any change or modification in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principleof the invention.

The material from which the chamber is constructed may be of any suitable rigid material in contradistinction to cloth, paper, or other like soft material, sheet metal being the material most preferable.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' l. A moisture-chamber constructed of sheet metal or other like rigid material and containing a filling of absorbent material and having upon its opposite sides two different degrees of dampening or moistening-surfaces, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A reversible moisture chamber constructed of sheet metal or other like rigid material and having perforations upon vboth its sides substantially as described whereby two different degrees of moistenin g or dam pening surfaces are provided, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A moisture-chamber containing a filling of absorbent material and having one or more of its edges bent to form grooves, and a flanged locking-strip engaging therewith and having tongues at its ends to bend down against the edges of the chamber to hold the strips in place, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY E. GIFFORD. lVitnesses:

ARTHUR B. HAMMOND, CHARLES A. RoBBiNs. 

